Manolo Blahnik’s Guise de Carne recipe

FOOD | FAMILY STYLE

The legendary footwear designer shares one of his family’s favorite recipes.

A comforting and hearty dish ideal for cooler climes, this recipe from Manolo Blahnik has all the makings of a quintessential stew. Spanish in origin, like the famed footwear designer himself, Guise de Carne has long been a favorite of locals, and Catalans in particular, dating back to the Early Renaissance times. Typically featuring a meat base, with vegetables and herbs, it's a warming stew with various adaptations according to the region, season, and family taste. Guise de Carne is “one of my absolute favorite special family dishes,” says Blahnik. “This traditional stew uses time and a simple technique to draw out the lovely flavours of fresh vegetables, tender beef, a divine sauce, and a rich, slightly sweet picada,” the latter being a Catalan take on a rich pesto, used to thicken the stew. 

Ingredients for the stew:

• 15 ounces beef shoulder

• ½ tablespoon salt

• 1 pinch freshly ground pepper

• 2 yellow onions

• 2 carrots

• 2 garlic cloves

• 1 tablespoon tomato paste

• 2 bay leaves

• 2 sprigs fresh thyme

• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary

• 15 ounces fresh diced tomato

• Just under 1 cup of water

• 2 tablespoons flour

• 5 cups of beef stock

• A small handful of fresh mushrooms 

• Flour

• Olive oil

Ingredients for the picada:

• 1 garlic clove

• 1 handful fresh parsley

• 1 handful toasted almonds

• 0.2 ounces or a grating of dark chocolate

• Just over 4 ounces of water

Instructions:

1. When purchasing the meat, kindly ask your butcher to clean the shoulder of any nerves and tendons—one of the most important secrets to a deliciously tender stew.

2. At home, cut the meat into chunks and season each piece with salt and freshly ground pepper, then cover in flour and give it a little shake to remove any excess. 

3. Cover the bottom of a Dutch oven with olive oil and brown the meat on all sides, then remove and set it on a plate for later.

4. Finely dice the onions and carrots and sauté these in the same Dutch oven until both are cooked through—they’ll turn a divine golden color. 

5. Meanwhile, mince the garlic then add it in and sauté for just a minute. Add the tomato paste and herbs and sauté these for only one minute more.

6. Now add the meat back in along with the juices released while it was resting. Cover it with the diced tomatoes and water—you can also use a red wine instead, whatever you fancy. 

7. Bring to a boil then add the flour to thicken and lower to a simmer until the liquid has reduced by about half. 

8. Pour in the beef stock, enough to fully cover the meat in liquid. Cover the pot and let simmer for an hour, just come back every now and then to give it a little stir.

9. While that’s happening, make the picada simply by placing all ingredients into a food processor and pulsing until smooth. Add slowly to taste after the stew has been simmering for an hour.

10. Add a touch of olive oil, salt, and freshly ground pepper to a frying pan and sauté the fresh mushrooms. Add these to the stew immediately before serving.

Il Nostro Tempo CinéFondationCartier

CINEMA | MUSE Magazine

Marking Fondation Cartier’s 30-year love affair with cinema, the exhibition Il Nostro Tempo, CinéFondationCartier opens at Triennale Milano.

Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain together with Triennale Milano, present Il Nostro Tempo, CinéFondationCartier, an exhibition that pays homage to cinematographic works and creatives from around the world. 

Involving twelve artists — some of which are presented for the first time in Italy — there’s Brazilian actress Gabriela Carneiro da Cunha and film director, Eryk Rocha; photographer Raymond Depardon, producer Claudine Nougaret, director Jonathan Vinel and screenwriter, Agnès Varda from France; Paraguayan director and screenwriter, Paz Encina; filmmaker, Morzaniel Iramari; Korean brothers, PARKing CHANce; Armenian director of essay films, Artavazd Pelechian; Romanian screenwriter and director, Andrei Ujica and Chinese director, who’s one of the foremost figures in documentary film-making, Wang Bing.

The exhibition is rooted in the Fondation Cartier’s 30-year love affair with cinema, and it’s a love that’s forged lasting relationships with filmmakers and creatives within the industry. A manifestation of this, Il Nostro Tempo (a.k.a. “our time”), which was curated by Chiara Agradi of Fondation Cartier, explores the intricate process of cinematographic production and language, and its ability to interact and cross-pollinate with other languages of contemporary creativity.

Displaying works from a diverse range of creatives, they’re from different generations and geographies, shaped by different backgrounds and experiences, but all twelve artists have something in common: the desire to reflect their world through moving images. 

Laying bare their own personal reflections on the present and past, the audience is presented with contradictions of the contemporary world from these artists who highlight the fragility of systems divided by conflict as well as the beauty and hope that can be found along the way.

A sensorial journey that enhances the technical and aesthetic qualities of the cinematographic works, some of which belong to the Fondation, while other films have been presented alongside or produced with its support — and whether short or exceptionally long pieces, each has its own dedicated space. These bespoke liberties have been thoughtfully designed by bunker arc to ensure a reflective viewing experience, and in line with the ethos of exhibition, also challenge the conventional rules of museum visits, instead, encouraging visitors to pause, contemplate, and return.

“Intimate and universal landscapes blend into one, in an orchestra of moving images, and each of the featured artists plays a part in writing our collective history through their own experience of the world.” — Fondation Cartier

The display pathway reflects the relational architecture within which the works are presented: by drawing upon the key elements of cinema as a medium — light, dark, movement — each film signals to the next or echoes the last, encouraging visitors to find their own way around without constraint.

Running in conjunction to the exhibition, Triennale Milano and Fondation Cartier have also partnered with Roman based Fondazione Piccolo America – Cinema Troisi to create a daily programme of screenings and talks, offering audiences a chance to learn more about contemporary cinema, art, and where it merges, from leading voices and vision-makers in the industry.

A Brief Guide to Vintage Jewelry

STYLE | Forbes.com

A host of jewelry insiders share their memories of vintage pieces and their insider knowledge when it comes to purchasing special items, including Tim Mendelson, the former personal assistant to Elizabeth Taylor, on her appreciation for jewelry; Frank Everett of Sotheby’s Jewelry; and Ariel Saidian, a fourth-generation dealer and supplier to the stars.

Vintage jewelry lovers will agree: there’s nothing quite like discovering a bygone piece, filled with charm, allure, and romance; you can’t help but imagine its storied past—the bodies it’s adorned, the glamorous parties it’s frequented—and these come together to bring the past to life. If only jewels could talk.

From auction houses to dealers and markets, the want is real, and this popularity is reflected in global sales with Sotheby’s, Bonhams, and Phillips dedicating IRL and online auctions, as well as ‘buy now’ options on their websites.

Just take Sotheby's royal and noble sale of magnificent jewels last year that achieved more than twice the estimate, showing the high demand of revival jewelry. The historically significant 18th-century necklace that’s thought to have possible links to Marie-Antoinette’s “affair of the necklace” well exceeded its estimate and fetched nearly $5 million after a 7-minute bidding battle.

Frank Everett, the Vice Chairman of Sotheby's Jewelry, says, “Antique and vintage pieces—antique jewelry by definition, is 100 years or older, while vintage is 50 years plus–are prized by collectors and take the spotlight at auctions every year for good reason.” Then there’s the smaller brands that are offering rare beauties, take London-based Bear Brooksbank, who noticed a “major surge in appetite for vintage jewelry” and ramping up during the pandemic through the desire of wanting to create connections.

For Jean Ghika, Global Head of Jewelry at Bonhams, “Vintage jewelry offers a wonderful glimpse into the past with jewels of exceptional quality and craftsmanship, there is a magic to discovering the provenance and stories of a bygone era that resonate with me and can be passed on to a potential buyer. Many designs are relics of social history, and we have seen a growth in appetite for owning and understanding antique jewelry. Art Deco has an enduring appeal with its timeless designs that are as fresh today as when they were first created, the designs sit well with the modern collector. Deco collectors are driven by not only the style of the jewelry but also the makers. Notable names that are highly coveted and produced exceptional deco designs include Van Cleef & Arpels, Cartier, Boucheron, Bulgari, and Chaumet.”

An opinion also held by all-round authority on jewelry, Carol Woolton, whose podcast, If Jewels Could Talk, and book of the name name, delves into past eras, precious stones, and personal histories, a must-listen for anyone who adores jewelry.

Impossible not to mention, Elizabeth Taylor had a true affinity with jewelry as Tim Mendelson, her former personal assistant and co-trustee of House of Taylor, can testify. He worked with the actress for over 20 years and personally handled her jewelry almost every day. In true leading lady style, she had the jewels to match, and her go-tos houses were Bulgari, Cartier, and Van Cleef & Arpels, cherishing all of them for their sentimental meaning and exquisite craftsmanship.

Of course, think of Miss Taylor, and think of the whopping diamonds that made headline news, namely the 69.42-carat Burton-Taylor Diamond, but she had a deep appreciation for antique pieces too.

On Elizabeth’s antique jewelry, Tim says, “Arguably, her most important historic piece is La Peregrina Pearl, a perfectly shaped natural pearl that had once been part of the Spanish royal jewels. Initially, the pearl came on a simple chain with a diamond-encrusted bale, but Elizabeth worked with Cartier to redesign it in a style similar to one depicted in a portrait of Mary, Queen of Scots.”

It is also worth noting her friend, socialite, and actress, Zsa Zsa Gabor, held an iconic diamond collection; after all, she famously said, “I never hated a man enough to give him his diamonds back,” and she had nine husbands over the course of her life, so you can just imagine her collection.

Impossible not to mention, Elizabeth Taylor had a true affinity with jewelry as Tim Mendelson, her former personal assistant and co-trustee of House of Taylor, can testify. He worked with the actress for over 20 years and personally handled her jewelry almost every day. In true leading lady style, she had the jewels to match, and her go-tos houses were Bulgari, Cartier, and Van Cleef & Arpels, cherishing all of them for their sentimental meaning and exquisite craftsmanship.

She passed away at the grand age of 99 in 2016, and the jewelry auctions commenced a year later; notably, her 1964 Harry Winston diamond rivière necklace sold for $1.3 million at a Bonhams New York auction in 2017.

Then there are those who have jewelry in her heritage, and as the name suggests, Francesca Cartier Brickell is one of those. Author of The Cartiers and whose great-great-great-grandfather founded Cartier in 1847, is drawn to the romance of historic pieces: “I love what antique jewels tell us about past lives—a single carved emerald may have adorned a Maharaja’s turban ornament at Indian banquets, sparkled on a glamorous Grand Duchess’ tiara in a St. Petersburg palace, and attracted attention within a socialite's sautoir on the dance floor of a Manhattan speakeasy…just imagine what personal highs and lows that single gem has borne witness to—the loves, the arguments, the joys, the tragedies.”

Vintage jewelry is also a source of inspiration to today’s jewelers such as Rosa and Tierney, the duo behind Rosa de la Cruz London. Forever immortalised thanks to the 1950s Salvador Dali portrait, Rosa’s grandmother, Lolo, teamed her Van Cleef diamond and pearl earrings with a Dior couture dress when she sat for her portrait. Handed down to Rosa, she says of the heirlooms, “These timeless pieces which I treasure and wear with our own designs also reflect our belief in unique personal style and fashion, sustainability, and enduring value and investment.”

Talking of Salvador, we’ve also seen echoes of his work in early pieces by contemporary designer Delfina Delettrez, the fourth-generation Fendi woman known for her surrealist take on high jewelry.

As with fashion, what goes around comes around, but the romance and mystery surrounding vintage remains. Going to show vintage can be translated into a modern context is Ariel Saidian, a fourth-generation NYC-based jewelry dealer and supplier of the flash factor to private clients in the know as well as leading A-listers, including Rihanna. She’s a huge player in the vintage jewelry game, choosing to go vintage for Pharrell’s Louis Vuitton show, the Super Bowl, and the Met Gala with an approach: more is more, giving a contemporary aesthetic. Why wear one diamond-encrusted brooch, when you can wear three? Yes, the brooch is back.

As Ariel says, “Why wear one bangle or brooch when you can wear several! Brooches! We have always believed in them, and they are having a moment now more than ever. Smaller ones can be casually pinned on at work during the day, and the fancier ones are for the red carpet and high-profile events. What also helps with the surge in popularity is that every age and gender are embracing the style, older women with ball gowns all the way to younger men in casual wear. The brooch is certainly having its moment.”

It’s not only brooches; “bracelets and necklaces are also being stacked on top of each other as if it were the 1920s again, but now it tends to be in yellow gold and colored stones, instead of platinum and diamonds,” Ariel comments.

Having noticed a surge in interest more than ever before, and fuelled even more by the celebrity wears, he puts it down to authenticity: “It is becoming more mainstream that a vintage jewel just feels more authentic and genuine. It is more like owning a jewel that is almost like the "blueprint" of modern jewelry. People love to be part of a unique jewel's history that no one else has or is a part of.”

Tasting Notes: How Lanson’s Le Rosé Création became Wimbledon’s favourite Champagne

Robert Rand of Champagne Lanson tells us about the delicacy and richness of the maison's Le Rosé Création.

A sip synonymous with Wimbledon, it’s no surprise that Champagne Lanson is one of the UK’s favourite tipples, selling more than a million bottles each year. The long-standing relationship between the British brand and The Championships will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2027, but the maison’s strong ties with the UK were forged long before the days of Henman.

Established in 1760, Champagne Lanson is one of the oldest producers and gained distinction in the 20th century as much for being the official supplier to Britain’s biggest tennis tournament as for its elegant fruity palate and fine bubbles. It was also one of the first champagne houses to produce a rosé in 1833, which then became a permanent offering in 1952. Loved for its subtle salmon pink hue – created by artful mix of red grapes, 6.7 per cent to be exact – Lanson Le Rosé Création blends pinot noirs and meunier to create light but harmonious tasting notes. Ramping up the freshness, Lanson also adheres to the founding principle of champagne vinification without malolactic fermentation, resulting in the vibrant, aromatic palate full of red and citrus fruit notes that has become integral to the Lanson style. We sit down with managing director, Robert Rand, to discuss how Le Rosé Création became the ultimate pink fizz.

Chanel: From Paris to Hangzhou

STYLE | MUSE Magazine

A homage to the studio artisans of the Maison’s influence from Gabrielle Chanel’s cherished Coromandel screens.

Through Chanel’s Métiers d’art collections, the House celebrates the artisans who craft the collections, and maintain the beauty and thoughtfulness of the brand as it  brings together several hundred embroiderers, feather workers, paruriers, goldsmiths, pleaters, shoemakers, hatters and milliners. These creatives sit at the very heart of the Métiers d’art collections, and have done since its debut in 2002.

Bringing to life wearable art pieces, the 2024/25 collection was designed by the House’s studio team (following the departure of creative director Virginie Viard this year), and they’ve stepped forward into Hangzhou’s softly-lit, romantic light as they’ve channelled the vision of Chanel, and its exceptional savoir-faire.

The setting of the show was Hangzhou’s West Lake, a Unesco World Heritage site, and for the evening it embodied the spirit of the House. After all, it’s a cultural hotspot for Hangzhou, the capital of China’s Zhejiang province, the fresh water lake along with its surrounding hills is the home to temples, pagodas, pavilions, gardens and ornamental trees, as well as causeways and manmade islands; and the setting has proved to be a source of inspiration for artists, poets and scholars since the 9th century.

A romantic location calls to a romantic collection, and presented at nightfall, the 2024/25 Métiers d’art collection drew influence from Gabrielle Chanel’s cherished Coromandel screens–she famously loved these intricately-painted folding screens all her life, and they can be found in her apartment at 31, rue Cambon in Paris to this day. She may not have visited the city, but the Coromandel screen in her office depicts the city of Hangzhou and its legendary lake.

Translating and applying this ornate beauty into a collection, we saw embroidered floral motifs, a clear favourite of Coco’s, along with hues of jade green, pink and sky blue. Each of the silhouettes is exceptionally detailed, some of which are visible, and some are hidden. From phosphorescent braids to long coats in precious signature tweeds and envelope-shaped pockets, the collection is an invitation to a poetic Asian voyage.

In a film starring House ambassadors Tilda Swinton and Xin Zhilei, and recently appointed House ambassador Leah Dou, German filmmaker and author, Wim Wenders imagines a contemporary and idyllic journey through the Coromandel screens that were held so dear to Gabrielle Chanel.

Hermès Dinner in New York

EVENTS | Vogue Italia

An exclusive dinner at the Baryshnikov Arts Center to celebrate the launch of the brand's new watch.

The Baryshnikov Arts Center in New York hosted the exclusive Hermès dinner to celebrate the launch of its new watch, the Dressage Chrono. The evening was enlivened by a classical dance performance entitled Time In Motion, choreographed by David Droud, while the accompanying ballet focused on the mechanisms of time and the elegance of a solitary moment to works by composers Marin Marais, Philip Glass and Arvo Part. The performance was held by Sandra Savin and Drouard himself and was attended by personalities from the worlds of art, fashion and the New York social scene, including Kelly Rutherford, Jay McInerney, Anne Hearst, Waris Ahluwalia, Olympia Scarry, Lauren Remington Platt, Olivia Chantecaille, Miguel Fabregas, Zani Gugelmann, Shala Monroque and Annabelle Dexter-Jones.

MUSE Interviews: Isabel Marant

STYLE | MUSE Magazine

Say Isabel Marant, think Parisian cool. Having founded her label in ‘94, she instantly became renowned for her romantic, boheme, androgynous designs. We met Isabel in her studio in Paris to talk about the origins of her brand and her creative vision.

MUSE Interviews: Stella Tennant

STYLE | MUSE Magazine

The ‘90s was a defining decade for Stella Tennant, after all, she was discovered during those years; she was propelled into great success, became a muse to Karl Lagerfeld, announced her official retirement and lastly, as the period was closing, found love. Stella captured the ‘90s zeitgeist with her look, but importantly, with her unwavering attitude towards identity.

‘Lost Then Found’ Andy Warhol Exhibition In New York City

THE ARTS | MUSE Magazine

Last night saw the highly anticipated private view of Lost Then Found, an exhibition dedicated to never-before-seen portraits of the infamous pop artist Andy Warhol.

These Warhol portraits were taken in 1981 at the Royal Hotel, Paris by the young British photographer Steve Wood. After being convinced by mutual friend, Elaine Kaufman to work together (Wood strongly favoured classical artists such as Van Gogh), he decided to shoot the series of portraits. It is these images that had their first unveiling at 345meatpacking, New Yorkafter being hidden away for the past 30 years by Wood, being publically displayed until the 12th May.

The private viewing in true Warhol style, attracted people of the fashion and music scenes with famous faces that included Courtney Love, Norman Cook, Tziporah Salamon, Rodrigo Bazan and Ally Hilfiger.

Valentino Exhibition at Somerset House

STYLE | CR Fashion Book

How VERY VALENTINO, the major exhibition that celebrates the life and work of Valentino showcasing over 130 exquisite haute couture designs.

Celebrating the 50th anniversary of legendary couturier Valentino Garavani is no easy task, but the new Valentino: Master of Couture exhibition at London’s Somerset House succeeds in that challenge. The retrospective (designed by Patrick Kinmonth and Antonio Monfreda, who were behind the Ara Pacis Museum exhibition in Rome for Valentino’s 45th anniversary), opening to the public today, features over 130 hand-crafted couture, runway, and red carpet pieces, many of which have never seen outside the Valentino atelier. Some of the gowns, however, have become a part of history thanks to the designer’s host of adoring, famous clients. Plenty of those fans, including Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece, Elizabeth Hurley, and Victoria Beckham, were on hand last night at the Italian Embassy in London to toast Valentino’s exhibition opening. On show, there’s that unforgettable black velvet evening gown Julia Roberts wore to the Academy Awards in 2001, Jackie Onassis’ 1968 wedding dress, and Princess Marie-Chantal’s pearl-encrusted wedding gown from 1995 (which took 25 seamstresses, 12 varieties of lace, and four months to make).

“Each of these designs have a beautiful story,” says Valentino. “The atelier crafted each so diligently by hand, taking hours, sometimes days to complete. The details are incredibly intricate, through outside the runway shows and events, the dresses have rarely been seen, so to be able to showcase these designs at Somerset House, where they can be seen in great detail by the public, is very unique.”

Though the clothes, exhibited along a 200-foot catwalk, are the centrepiece, Valentino’s personal items, including rare snapshots, fashion show invites from throughout the years, and beautiful fabric swatches of his designs help to tell the whole story. One of the show’s high points is a series of short films by Antonio Monfreda and Giorgio Horn, showcasing Valentino’s team (“Le Ragazze di Valentino”) hard at work using the same couture cutting techniques he learned in school.

Inside The New Hermès Flagship Store With CEO Of Hermès Americas, Robert Chavez

STYLE | Forbes.com

Hermès has been a destination for the distinguished since 1837, uniting those who have an appreciation of creativity, craft, detail and, of course, excellence. Fast forward, and these principles remain at the heart of Hermès today, evident not only through its collections but also its brand-new flagship store.

Poetic And Subverse, Get To Know The Collections Of Fashion Designer, Nensi Dojaka

STYLE | Forbes.com

It’s almost as if Nensi Dojaka could have been part of fashion’s illustrious Antwerp Six with her aesthetic that you could describe in one word as: deconstructed. However, that was all before her time, she’s new wave avant-garde.

Dr. Barbara Sturm Shares Her Winter Skincare Tips

BEAUTY | Forbes.com

Founder and CEO of Dr. Barbara Sturm Molecular Cosmetics, Sturm began her medical career in orthopaedics. She worked on innovative treatments for inflammatory conditions like osteoarthritis, using the body’s proteins to stop the inflammatory process and help heal joint tissue. Using this clinical research and orthopedic practices as a foundation, she applied her learnings to the field of aesthetics, working on creating an anti-inflammatory collection. At the heart of it was skincare formulated with molecular science, and Molecular Cosmetics was born in 2014. Since then, her skincare lines have developed and grown, with brick-and-mortar outposts globally and a whole host of celebrity devotees to boot.

Coveting The Vampire’s Wife

STYLE | Interview Magazine

The name Susie Bick conjures up thoughts of an ethereal, dark-haired, pale-skinned beauty—the ultimate gothic heroine and partner in crime to musician and writer Nick Cave.

Born in Cheshire, Bick—who now goes by her married name Susie Cave—entered the fashion world via photographer Steven Meisel, who discovered her as she was running away from boarding school in England to New York. A successful modelling career ensued, which saw her front campaigns for Dior, Yves Saint Laurent, John Galliano, and Vivienne Westwood. She played muse to David Bailey and worked with notable photographers such as Dominique Isserman, Guy Bourdin, Helmut Newton, Sarah Moon, and Nick Knight. Roxy Music feature Cave on their album cover artwork and Prince was reportedly so bewitched by Cave that he showered her with gifts and red roses.